Assam brothers and sisters have nothing to worry about CAB: PM Modi
New Delhi/IBNS: As the violent protests gripped Assam over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached out to the people of the northeastern state assuring them that they have nothing to worry about the bill which will grant citizenship to all non-Muslim refugees who came from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to India before 2015.
Assuring the Assamese people of safeguarding their rights and culture, Modi tweeted, "I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB. I want to assure them- no one can take away your rights, unique identity and beautiful culture. It will continue to flourish and grow."
I want to assure my brothers and sisters of Assam that they have nothing to worry after the passing of #CAB.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2019
I want to assure them- no one can take away your rights, unique identity and beautiful culture. It will continue to flourish and grow.
The Prime Minister added in a follow up tweet, "The Central Government and I are totally committed to constitutionally safeguard the political, linguistic, cultural and land rights of the Assamese people as per the spirit of Clause 6."
The Central Government and I are totally committed to constitutionally safeguard the political, linguistic, cultural and land rights of the Assamese people as per the spirit of Clause 6.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 12, 2019
The protests and indefinite strike in Assam turned violent on Wednesday after the agitators set vehicles on fire, torched railway station and also attacked the residence of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal who belongs to Modi's Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Protesters at various places gheraoed the residence of many BJP leaders in Upper Assam. Chief Minister Sonowal's residence at Dibrugarh also came under attack as group protesters pelted stone at house.
Chabua and Panitola railway stations in Upper Assam were torched at night while all traffic between Dibrugarh and Guwahati was suspended, North East Frontier Railway spokesperson said.
The protesters even defied the curfew which was imposed in the evening on Wednesday. The Centre also moved several companies of Army to the state while internet has been shut down.
Meanwhile, the CAB was passed by the Rajya Sabha with 125 votes in favour of it on Wednesday amid the heated debate over the bill throughout the day. 99 MPs had voted against the bill.
In the Rajya Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who had locked horns with the Opposition leaders, said the Indian Muslims have no reason to worry as long as the Modi government is in place.
The controversial bill, which has also drawn widespread protests in other northeastern states including Tripura, was passed by the Lok Sabha at midnight on Monday with 311 votes in favour of it while 80 MPs who had voted against CAB.
Interestingly, Modi was missing from both the Houses when the bill was getting passed.
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